The Portland daily press., 1887-12-05
KING LEAR.
Or. palton,s Fifth Saturday Lecture.

In the classical drama the time is limited
to "a hours, the place must be one and the
same, and the action complete, on account of
the time allotted to the reading or acting Of
the play. The romantic drama leaves much
to the imagination.and its limits may be ex-
tended beyond the unities. Lear, therefore,
from its shifting scenes, its indefinite time
and complicated action, is rendered aromantic
drama.
The lecturer proceeded to give the
argument of the play and Introduce the
in this Shakespearean play flial ingratitude
is the poets theme, which he exhibits with
power never eQualled. The sisters GOneril
and Regan appear monsters OF ingratitude
Lear appeals to our sympathy as a man,
king, and a father suffering woes unutter-
able His exposure to the elements In
pitiless storm, has nothing to equal 1t except
the similar scene in the Promotheus Bound
Of Eschylus. Gloster's bastard son proves
thorn In his side, while Edgar, though
falsely and maliclously accused, Is as true as
steel The bastard Edmund Is more akin to
Iago In deviltry than any other character In
or out Of Shakespeare. GlOSter excltes our
deepest pity, while the Kings grief beggars
description, for words are wanted 10 match
it, Kent is banlshed for seeking to appease
the Kings wrath, but abates not Jot OF his
fidelity Goneril and Regan plot against
their husbands and each other to secure the
favor of Edmund; and all three fall victims
to their bloody instructions. Cordelia, like
star pure and lustrous, dwells apart from all,
as unapproachable in virtue as IN grace and
beauty. She Is the modern Antigone, tnat
loveliest of ancient ideals, the erowning
glory Of Shakespeare's only dramatic rival,
Sophocles More than any other, she Is the
ideal Englishwoman whose wrongs, suffer
ings and sad fate all serve to embalm her
memory and endear II TO every age: But for
her and Kent and Edgar, mankind would
seem so corrupt as TO merit total extinction.
Cordelia's character furnishes the missing
link between the angelic and the human. In
the theatre, to please the populace, she is
rescued from her enemies, and restored to
the throne. But Shakespeare's fidelity to
art, philosophy and history suffers her 70
perish in prison, teaching us that not happi,
ness but goodness is our beings end ana
aim. that not by an earthly, but q heavenly
crown, not here but there, are the good:
faithful and true to receive "A crown Oh
life."
From Lear, we may also learn many other
things. Kings G. &. are not TO De enVled:
They live isolated lives, and are surrounded
by fiatterers. Friendship implies equality,
and this is denied to Kings. Nor can they
be sure of the fidelity Of their great officers,
till they are tried, and then 1t Is too late TO
remedy the evils of misplaced confidence.
How can King in advance dis diS-
the suitors Of Cordelia. How till tried, can
she tell France from Burgundy How can
Gloster discover the fraud Of Edmund and
the filial devotion of Edgar? How can Cor
delia's love demonstrate its depth and puri-
ty. till events differentiate it from her sis
ter's selfish protestations? How clear, at
last. even TO Lear that love cannot be
bought, though the bribe be a crown with
half his kingdom. Best Of all, the discovery
he and tue make together, that the true love
of Cordelia can make prison cell brighter
and happier than the court of a King SO
we need not sigh for cOronets, but should
seek happiness where alone it is to be found,
in loving hearts and the society Of the good
and true. What scene even in Shakespeare
more affecting than that in which Lear rec
when
"They hand in hand, with wandering steps and
slow
To prison took their solitary way